Review | XlamV “raise”

XlamV shows their maturity and growth as artists through a set of powerful and emotional songs in the flawless 2nd EP “raise”.

Title: raise
Release date: 31/01/2024
Label: REISEN RECORDS
Genre: EDM/R&B/Lo-fi/Funk/Disco

Tracklist (regular edition only):

1 - Said that
2 - A.S.A.P (NEW SONG)
3 - what about love (NEW SONG)
4 - 蜜柑
5 - Said that (inst)
6 - A.S.A.P (inst)
7 - what about love (inst)
8 - 蜜柑 (inst)

Track by track analysis:

1 – Said that

XlamV kicks off this EP with “Said that“, song that brings to the spotlight distorted synths and dramatic strings, creating a dark soundscape.

This is the first time the group has gone dark and opened an EP in such an intense way.

The verses are slow-paced, with strings and a deep hip-hop beat riding on fast hi-hat triplets and a tight snare sound. But soon, that beat evolves into a bassier and hard-hitting one, giving more depth to this song and changing its dynamics at the same time.

Let’s talk about the chorus of “Said that“? XlamV by now has shown that they really excel in having downtempo songs hitting hard but the chorus in this song is nothing alike others.

The consistency and flatness in the bassy beat, the staccato strings, and the way the vocals soar, all lead the way to one epic chorus.

There’s nothing much going on in the background, showing that you can keep a composition simple and laser focus on a specific thing – in this case, the leading strings quartet – and deliver a powerful performance.

This chorus sounds really epic but let’s not forget that the vocals are a big reason why it sounds like this. The vocal direction in this song is different from usual.

On the vocal end, “Said that” is one of the best-accomplished songs by XlamV.

While on previous songs some members stood out more than others – giving them the spotlight for a brief time or even putting them as the center for a performance -, in “Said that”, there is no lead. Everyone shines brighter than ever.

Everyone is tackling high notes – in falsetto -, their pair work is perfectly balanced, there is clarity in all performances and when the group performs in unison, you get one of the most powerful performances by XlamV.

And yes, everyone is on ad-lib duties – not just Tasuku Hatanaka, Makoto Furukawa, or Shintaro Asanuma -, everyone.

Hearing all members in the spotlight in such an intense song feels right and is a nice change of vibe for XlamV.

2 – A.S.A.P

XlamV turns things around for “A.S.A.P“. This song is all about the old-school 90s hip-hop vibes mixed with R&B vocals and this is crazy good.

The verses feature some of the craziest percussion you can find out there. The beat mixes a deep, bassy snare beat with 808 drum machine hits and shuffle-like hi-hats. The result is one hell of an addictive and refreshing beat that is evolving throughout the song.

This is completely different from everything else I’ve ever heard from the over 40 different 2D groups I regularly review music from.

Add to this the funky guitar riffs and punchy bassline and you get one of the most addictive songs in the group’s repertoire.

The chorus thrives on that danceable, almost shuffle-like beat and fancy synths, serving as the backdrop for a performance that fully deserves your attention.

Chiaki Kobayashi and Tasuku Hatanaka take the lead for the chorus, being a force to be reckoned with as they make a powerful entrance and keep both the energy and intensity to the maximum.

Add to that a dash of elegance to their performance and yeah, as Kengo Kawanishi, Makoto Furukawa, Ayumu Murase, Reiou Tsuchida, and Shintaro Asanuma join in, you have a performance that will steal your breath away (and take you to the dancefloor in no time).

Let’s not forget that drop close to the bridge. For fans of heavy dance music, this is going to be a treat.

Another song, another different side to XlamV. Another awesome side was unveiled.

3 – what about love

“what about love” arrives with a completely different vibe. R&B takes over and the soundscape is dreamy and romantic, all in the blink of an eye.

This song puts the focus on the vocals, leaving the instrumental as the perfect set dressing for this performance.

You have melodic, reverb-driven guitar licks echoing in the background teaming up with a downtempo hi-hat-driven beat. On top is a deep, slow-paced bassline and dreamy atmospheric synths.

The stage is set for a sweet performance with a hint of romance.

The chorus feels like a lullaby. The beat goes deeper, the guitars bring a lo-fi touch to this performance and the vibes are perfect. The song feels intimate.

Lights out just gazing at the neon lights outside as it rains. The soundscape is beautiful and honestly, one I wouldn’t mind losing myself in.

The vocals match this sweet, romantic vibe by being closer to the listener – easily noticeable if you listen with headphones. Their vocals are also slow-paced and warmer than usual, adding a lot of emotion to the performance without being too show off in doing so (still, Tasuku Hatanaka keeps on giving a show whenever he takes the lead).

The warm, cozy, and loving vibes you get from this performance are a first for XlamV but this is yet another vibe and two music genres – R&B and Lo-fi – that fit them like a glove.

4 – 蜜柑 (Mikan)

This EP wraps up with “Mikan“, song that is big on synths and its party vibe however tying those with a fun funky sound.

There are obvious funk and disco influences in this song, starting from those synth runs, the rhodes piano, the funky guitar riffs, and even down to the piano melodies.

The energy and good vibes are addictive in this song.

When the chorus kicks in, XlamV performs in a way that you have a sort of unison going on but also vocals entering and exiting the mixing.

This adds an interesting dynamic to the performance in which every member feels like they are intentionally standing out from the crowd while adding something to the performance.

Looking at this performance – funky throughout – you want and would expect the group to be really melodic and play around with an R&B style of performance with ad-libs.

Well, good news. XlamV – from the individual to the group parts – is all about that. They have a lot of legato in their vocals and there is a comfortable bounce to their performance, which is complemented by the groovy bassline in the background.

And we wrap up this EP with really good vibes!

Final considerations:

If you thought “climb” was amazing, you have to listen to XlamV’s 2nd EP, “raise“. This EP feels like a massive leap in quality in their music and performances at the same time that they changed things around in their vibe.

Yes, XlamV sounds more mature as a group in “raise”. This is something you’d expect from a second big album or EP and this is exactly what they deliver. But there is more.

The tone is more serious and there is more intensity in their sound in “Said that“, the group, for the first time shows their loving and romantic side in “what about love“, they go all out with a funky performance made for the dancefloor in “Mikan” and deliver one of the most unique songs in their repertoire with “A.S.A.P“.

I really welcome you to listen to the instrumental versions of each of these songs and notice the awesome little details going on in them. For example, in “Said that”, the instrumental, especially in the chorus, has a distorted part circling you throughout. That is barely noticeable in the final mix (essentially, the full version of the song).

The massive beat in “A.S.A.P” is in full display and oh boy, isn’t this awesome percussion? When the chorus kicks in and those funky guitars join in it is pure bliss. This song is so stylish and mysterious at the same time while keeping that intensity and high energy levels reserved for the vocals.

It also has one of the dirtiest drops in EDM music I’ve heard in the past year. Truly, you have to hear it to notice how awesome this song is. Also, listen to the vocals after that to notice just how much “life” they add to an instrumental that is already amazing.

“what about love” is a marvel for fans of lo-fi and R&B music. It is dreamy, the soundscape is wide and the vibes are way too good. Just listen to this song. You will want to listen to it time and time again (and add the instrumental version to a lo-fi playlist).

And “Mikan” while it looked like it would go the happy-go-lucky route within its first seconds, things changed around and XlamV actually went all out in their funk and disco vibes with their pop sound. With their lineup, the song is a blast to listen to as you have highlight after highlight on the vocal end in this song.

Worth adding that the vocals for all songs are genuinely good.

Everyone has more than enough time in the spotlight and even when they are performing as a group, everyone is easy to pick from the mix.

This clarity in the vocal mix is something I deeply appreciate, especially in groups as it is really easy to fall into the trap of making a murky vocals mix (because it’s too much work to make each voice clear. Actually, it’s actually hell for the mixing the more people who are performing).

In this case, XlamV doesn’t have that issue.

At the same time, I love how every member gets their ad-libs, their falsetto time in the spotlight, and harmonizes with each other in such a pleasing way.

Listening to XlamV’s performances is really pleasing to me. The balance in the lineup’s vocals helps enhance this feeling but I feel it’s mostly due to the vocal direction given to all seiyuu in the group. Yet another intangible that ends up missing for other 2D groups and that puts XlamV on a unique path in terms of the quality of the music and mixing among 2D groups.

All in all, if it was not obvious by now, I’ve enjoyed “raise” a whole lot. Since the start of their career, XlamV has shown that they are a group not afraid of creating music other 2D groups don’t, and better yet, doing so with such a high level of quality that it is impossible not to feel curious about them and their music.

On my end and after reviewing this EP – while I listen to the instrumental of “Said that” in the background, it’s that good -, I only have to add that this is XlamV’s best EP to date and that the group’s evolution and growth has made them even more unique and interesting to listen to.

Shower them love because they deserve it! “raise” is already a strong contender for best album of 2024.

What is VS AMBIVALENZ?

VS AMBIVALENZ is a 2D music project by NIZISTA. It has a pretty unique format in which only 7 out of the 14 members were chosen through voting that went on from 2021 up until late 2022.

XlamV (read: Kranve) consists of Jintaro (CV: Chiaki Kobayashi), Nagomu (CV: Shintaro Asanuma), 39YEAH↗ (CV: Makoto Furukawa), Issei (CV: Kengo Kawanishi), Lion (CV: Tasuku Hatanaka), Auguri (CV: Ayumu Murase), and Subaru (CV: Reiou Tsuchida).

To get to know more about this project, please refer to THTFHQ’s extended article about VS AMBIVALENZ.

“raise” is available for purchase at Amazon Japan (they ship internationally).

“raise” is available for streaming on Spotify.

Do not support piracy. Remember to support XlamV by streaming via official outlets.